Works by Romanian painters Ştefan Luchian and Theodor Aman have recently sold at auction in New York, USA. Anemone, a pastel and charcoal work on blue paper by Ştefan Luchian, sold for USD 10,000, well above the USD 6,000 – 8,000 estimate.

Theodor Aman's oil painting on canvass In the Park/În parc went for USD 12,500, right in the middle of the USD 10,000 – 15,000 estimate. A painting by Ştefan Luchian (1868 – 1916) recently replaced a Nicolae Tonitza work for the highest price raised at auction for paintings by Romanian painters. Luchian's Two Girls sold for EUR 300,000, beating Tontiza's previous record of EUR 290,000 for In iatac/In the Bedroom, auctioned in 2011.

Another painting by Nicolae Grigorescu Cârciumă la Rucăr/Tavern on the Rucăr was put up for auction, but failed to sell. Grigorescu is the best selling Romanian artist and his paintings appear among the top ten auction prices for the country.

However, the prices raised pale next to those fetched by works of undoubtedly Romania's greatest artist, the sculptor Constantin Brâncuși (1876 – 1957). His works regularly go for millions of euros when sold at auction.

The sale, focused on European art, was held at Bonhams 1793 Auction House in New York on May 8 and also included works by Federico Zuccaro, Angelica Kauffmann, Anthony van Dyck, Francis Holman, Yvonne and Eugenio Zampighi Adolphe.

editor@romania-insider.com